So maybe this post will not be as interesting to some of you as it is to me but have you ever seen corn pollinated? Growing up on an Iowa farm I have seen plenty of corn. I have even worked on a detasselling crew that neutered corn for hybridization. But sometime when it is something that surrounds you you actually miss seeing it.
A couple of days ago I was giving a tour of the Heritage Center and when we got to the greenhouse I talked about the plants that were growing there. Jeff and Beth had planted a couple of stalks of corn and so naturally that was part of the talk. I looked up and on the top of the plant the tassels were in full bloom and the pollen was already dropping. So I talked about how this falling pollen must hit the silks that come out of the ends of each of the ears of corn. In turn, each kernel of corn is tied to a silk. If the silk doesn't get it's dose of pollen then the fertilization of the kernel is abnormal or non-existent. Ever wondered why your corn on the cob is sometimes funny shaped?
The part I just described is old hat. Here's what I never took the time to see. At the top of the plant, on the tassel the pods that release the pollen were all still attached. In a field setting these normally fall of in the wind. Because this was growing in our greenhouse they were all still attached. When I shook the plant to show how the pollen was dropped the pods made this really neat rattling sound. Nature is really amazing. If you want to see the corn plant I was talking about you had better come over quick before all the pods drop. It is worth the trip.
